Bert T. Combs (August 13, 1911-December 4, 1991),born in Clay County, Kentucky, was the Democratic Governor of Kentucky from 1959 through 1963.

Combs attended the University of Kentucky and graduated from UK Law School in 1937. Shortly thereafter, he was admitted to the bar and began his practice in Manchester, later moving to Prestonsburg, Kentucky.

Combs began his political career with his election to the office of City Attorney in Prestonsburg in 1950, and later became Commonwealth Attorney. Less than two years later, he was elected to fill a vacancy on the Kentucky Court of Appeals, where he served until 1955. That year, he resigned to run for Governor and was defeated by former Governor A.B. "Happy" Chandler in the Democratic primary. Four years later, Combs was elected Governor when he defeated Democratic primary opponent Harry Lee Waterfield, then winning over Republican John Robsion.

During his administration, Bert Combs created a merit system for state government workers. He also formed the state's first Human Rights Commission and also ordered the desegregation of all public accommodations in Kentucky. Combs improved Kentucky's education department and expanded the state's highway system. The Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway, which covers roughly eighty miles in Eastern Kentucky was named in honor of the former Governor.

Kentucky's Constitution then prohibited Combs from reelection, and in 1967 he was sworn into office as Circuit Judge for the US Court of Appeals. Four years later, he resigned the judgeship to run for Governor again but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Wendell H. Ford, who would later become Kentucky's long-serving US Senator.

Combs eventually retired from public life but maintained an office in Frankfort, Kentucky. On the evening of December 4, 1991 he was coming home from Frankfort when his car was swept from a roadway near Rosslyn, Kentucky into the flooded Red River. The eighty-year old former Governor was buried in Manchester, Kentucky.

Powell, Robert. "Kentucky Governors" 1990.